GHC Experts

The GHC unifies global experts in various fields of health and hygiene to encourage behaviour change whilst providing specialist insights. We aim to highlight the benefits of improved hygiene, including handwashing and surface disinfection, both to human life and the global economy. We have a large panel of experts who have contributed to our research programmes, published papers, recorded podcasts and been involved in other media activities.

To work alongside our experts or for interview enquiries, please contact: admin@hygienecouncil.info

Experts currently working with the GHC include:

Professor Elizabeth Scott (Chair)

Dr Elizabeth Scott is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, Director of the Undergraduate Programme in Public Health, Co-director of the Simmons Centre for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community and a member of the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH).

Professor Sally Bloomfield

Professor Sally Bloomfield is an Honorary Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is also a Consultant in Hygiene and Infectious Disease Prevention and Chairman and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH).

Professor Sabiha Essack

Professor Sabiha Essack is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She is also the South African Research Chair holder in Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health, an expert consultant on antimicrobial resistance to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Vice Chairperson of the South African Ministry Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance.

Professor Thomas Szucs

Professor Thomas Szucs is Professor and Director of the European Centre of Pharmaceutical Medicine at the University of Basel. Previously, he was head of all health economics activities at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich. His main research and teaching interests are pharmacoeconomics, pharma policy, health services research, health technology assessment and personalised medicine/pharmacogenetics.

Professor Matthew Freeman

Matthew Freeman is a Professor at the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. As a key driver of the Matthew Freeman Research Group, his research interests include designing theory-informed interventions of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to mitigate the burden of neglected tropical diseases and understanding the drivers of behaviour change and programme sustainability for WASH initiatives.

Assistant Professor Kelly Ann Schmidtke

Kelly Ann Schmidtke is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School. Kelly is the current lead in the GHC behaviour change programme, with two pieces of her research being published. Her research aims to enhance the health, wealth and well-being of people using light-touch and low-cost mechanisms, also known as nudges. Exploring the application of psychological principles to experimental philosophy and real-world interventions, her contributions to experimental philosophy have been largely dedicated to understanding lay-peoples’ concepts of perceptible properties and epistemology.

Dr Richard Shaughnessy

Dr Richard Shaughnessy received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has served as Programme Director of Indoor Air Quality Research at the University of Tulsa since 1987. His studies have focused on particulate research, air cleaner evaluation, indoor chemistry, school studies, flooring studies, asthma/housing research, ozone-initiated indoor reaction and the resolution and remediation of bioaerosol-related problems. Between 2009 and 2012, Dr Shaughnessy served a 3-year term as President of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) and continues to work with the society to translate science into practice.